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Guyana chairs Commonwealth Debt Sustainability Forum
- climate change, effects of fuel prices among challenges outlined
Guyana’s Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, last Wednesday, accepted the Chairmanship of the Commonwealth Ministerial Debt Sustainability Forum for the coming year at a meeting at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington D.C.

The Forum, previously known as the Commonwealth Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Ministerial Forum, brings together Finance Ministers of the HIPC countries of the Commonwealth to discuss and advocate issues of common interest related to the achievement and maintaining of debt sustainability.

Dr Singh will chair the Forum for the period 2008/2009, following a year during which the Forum was chaired by Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Ghana’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.

“On behalf of my Government, and indeed on my own behalf, I am privileged to formally accept the Chairmanship of the Commonwealth Ministerial Debt Sustainability Forum (CMDSF) for the coming year. I thank you, the Members of the Forum, for the confidence reposed in me and my country through my nomination to Chair this Forum,” the Finance Minister said.

In accepting the Chairmanship, Minister Singh underscored the importance of the Forum and emphasised its changing role, noting that this was the first meeting being held since all Commonwealth HIPCs have achieved Completion Point.

?This Forum provides an important opportunity for us in the developing world to discuss topical economic issues with each other as well as key stakeholders, such as those represented here: member countries of the Commonwealth (HIPCs and non-HIPCs) and international and regional financial institutions (IMF, the World Bank, IDB, AFDB),” Minister Singh said.

In this context, Dr Singh highlighted a number of issues that still confront the Forum’s membership, including the challenges of convincing a number of non-Paris Club creditors to provide debt relief, and the issue of non-participation of and litigation by commercial creditors.

Dr Singh also highlighted the fact that official development assistance is not being delivered at the rate required if the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are to be achieved, and emphasised the need for greater access to concessional resources if the Forum’s members are to achieve the MDGs.

In addition, the Minister drew attention to other challenges currently being faced, including climate change and the economic cost of an adequate response, the unprecedented levels of world market prices for fuel and food staples, and the complexity of the effect of developments such as the shift to bio-fuels, and indicated that all of these factors have serious implications for macroeconomic stability and for external, fiscal and debt sustainability.

“The increasing global integration of financial markets, and recent turbulence in the financial markets which is now acknowledged as having the potential to result in a more broadly felt crisis, all point to the need for us to ensure that our countries are adequately equipped in terms of legislative environment, institutional capacity, and technical expertise, as we become more active participants in global financial markets.”

At the meeting, the Finance Ministers reviewed the significant progress which had been made toward the implementation of the Multilateral Debt Relief and HIPC Initiatives.

However, Ministers expressed their concern that a number of issues pertaining to debt and debt sustainability remained unresolved, particularly mounting arrears and the refusal of many non-Paris Club and commercial creditors to participate in debt-relief initiatives.

According to Minister Singh, “Convincing Paris Club creditors to provide similar relief is a challenge which we must strive together to overcome during the current year.”

Among the other issues discussed at the meeting were cross-country experiences in accessing international capital markets, new opportunities for external financing, the status of the Commonwealth Debt Legal Clinic which provides legal support to member countries in matters concerning debt, and other support available for strengthening administrative arrangements for more effective public debt management.“

The Forum’s next meeting is scheduled for the second half of this year.

Guyana was also represented at the meeting by its Ambassador in Washington, Mr. Bayney Karran, and Debt Management Division Head, Ms. Donna Yearwood. (GINA)

For love, and medicine
- Cuban scholarship students start returning home
ADRIANA James left Guyana for Cuba in pursuit of a higher education in medicine, but she managed to impress more than just her professors.

Apart from Guyanese, there are scores of other nationalities taking advantage of Cuba’s robust scholarship programme, and among them Adriana found her husband.

She met Abdel-Hakim Moustafa, a Lebanese, on the college campus, and the two of them decided to tie the nuptial knot.

Adriana, 27, is among a batch of six medical students who are completing their final year studies here in Guyana. She is serving at the Georgetown Medical Hospital Paediatric Ward, along with another fellow student, Shawana Profitt. The others have been placed at other health institutions.

Shawana, 29, a Georgetown girl, always dreamt of becoming a doctor.

At Queen’s College, she had to decide on a line of study once she had reached Form Four, and so she decided on the Sciences. Once secondary school was over, she undertook the three-year Associate Degree programme offered by the University of Guyana.

She had begun working at the pharmacy at the Georgetown Hospital when her sister suggested that she apply for a scholarship to study medicine, and so she ended up in Cuba.

For Adriana, it was fascinating to discover the various backgrounds of the Cuban scholarship students. This might have been owing to her exposure to travelling, thanks to her nomadic parents Mike and Maria James.

After being born in Canada, Adriana was brought to Guyana and received her formative education here. However, she was next on her way to Caribbean islands Barbados and Jamaica, and then back again to Guyana where she joined the Bishops’ High School.

She too had an affinity for the sciences and after school joined the University of Guyana, pursuing biology. She completed two years there and went to Canada, where she completed the degree in biology.

Adriana then returned to Guyana and decided to apply for the Cuba scholarship programme.

When they graduate in July, Adriana and Shawana would have that long sought after “Dr” preceding their names.

Public Service Minister, Dr Jennifer Westford, whose ministry implements the scholarship programme, says the government is pleased with the academic performance of the students studying in Cuba.

Currently, there are 815 Guyanese students studying in Cuba in various fields including medicine, agriculture, and information technology. The Guyanese make up the single largest batch of Caribbean nationals studying in Cuba, thanks to a landmark agreement brokered between President Bharrat Jagdeo and Cuba’s former leader Mr. Fidel Castro.

In July, 65 more medical students will return home to complete their internship here before graduating as doctors.

In addition, another 55 graduate students in various fields, including engineering and agriculture, would be placed in the various ministries as needed.

Dr Westford said that none of the graduate students returning home would be left looking for jobs, as the government has identified placements for each of them, giving the human resource needs in every region.

She said that students were selected for the scholarships from every region of the country, and it is expected that when they return home they would go back to their respective communities and serve there.

This year, another batch of students – 75 in all-- would be sent to Cuba for studies in the various disciplines. They would represent the final large scale batch of students form Guyana to go to Cuba in the past five years.

Minister Westford said a new agreement on the continuation of the scholarships, whether on such a scale and in what disciplines, would be decided when the Guyana/Cuba Joint Commission meets soon.

President Jagdeo is slated to visit Cuba by yearend to meet with Cuba’s new leader Mr. Raul Castro, and also to interact with the Guyanese students, Minister Westford said. (Neil Marks)

WWF Guianas embarking on major public awareness drive in Guyana

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guianas, a global Non-Governmental Organisation (N GO) working in Guyana for almost 10 years, has planned a major public awareness drive in Guyana to sensitise the masses of the Guyanese people to its existence here, and its ongoing and intensified collaboration with the government and people of Guyana.

The local office, previously located in Bel Air Park, is now housed at 285 Irving Street, Queenstown, and is one of three located in the Region. The other two are in French Guiana and Suriname. The regional WWF Guianas office is based in Suriname.

WWF Guianas was established here in 1999 after the Guianian Moist Forests region covering the three Guianas was identified as one of 238 eco-regions with the highest priority areas for conservation world wide.

Cognizant that many Guyanese are yet unaware of WWF and its mission and many if they hear of the name would think of a certain wrestling federation, WWF Guianas affirms that it is important to note that the only official ‘WWF’ in Guyana is World Wildlife Fund!

Until recently, the task force in Guyana was very small, but has now expanded to include a Forestry Officer, a Freshwater Officer, a Gold Mining Pollution Abatement Officer and an Education and Communications Officer.

Some recent highlights include:
* working with various forestry companies to achieve Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) status;

* establishing wildlife clubs nationwide,

* robust establishment of working relationship with miners to reduce pollution;

* the carrying out an Arapaima survey in the Rupununi;

* working closely with other organisations in setting up the Kaieteur National Park;

* as well as planning for the Kanuku Mountains protected area.

In addition, the Forestry Officer is working closely with various communities to assist them in community forestry techniques so that they can use their forests in a successful and a sustainable way.

The WWF Office has also given grants to various educational establishments to assist them in their environmental awareness initiatives. The office hosted a panel discussion for World Water Day on March 20th, and is currently in the process of working with the National Library, promoting awareness and education.

Working in over 100 countries worldwide, WWF has more than 2000 conservation projects underway at any one time. The WWF Guianas Programme is a WWF conservation initiative launched in 1998, covering the three Guianas and targeting the Guianian Eco-region complex

The mission of WWF in brief is: ȁTo conserve habitats and protect flora and fauna in order to ensure a healthy and working ecosystem that also serves to support human populations.”

Currently, WWF Guianas is working under the Guianas Sustainable Natural Resources Management Project under which there are 6 main programme areas: Sustainable Forest Management, the Gold Mining Pollution Abatement, Protected Areas Establishment and Management, Freshwater Conservation and Management, Species Conservation and Management, and Environmental Education and Communication.

British High Commission supports Guyana’s Birding Tourism
THE Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development has received a US$8,000 boost from the British High Commission and two ‘Guides to Birds of Northern South America’ books.

The Commission is assisting in sponsoring a training programme for birding guides in recognition of the need and potential of Guyana’s tourism industry.

The programme will facilitate the training of 16 guides who will undergo two weeks of intermediate level training at the Bina Hill Institute, Surama Village, Region Nine, and at the Iwokrama Field Station in Region Eight. In addition, three or five persons will be trained as trainers, a British High Commission release stated.

The training programme is scheduled to start mid-May, and will be conducted by two trainers from the United Kingdom and Peru.

Recently, the British High Commission launched a ‘Best practices in ecotourism’ workshop to train and prepare tour operators and birding guides, among others, in the tourism industry, to improve the management of Guyana’s tourism resources.

The workshop started on April 7-8 at the British High Commissioner’s Residence and continued at the Bina Hill Institute in Annai on April 9-10. The last workshop is planned for June 3-4 at Lethem.

The workshop is being sponsored by the Commission at a cost of 20,000 pounds sterling.

The Iwokrama centre manages one million acres of forest in central Guyana. The centre’s main objective is to show how tropical forests can be conserved while being used to provide ecological, social and economic benefits to local and international communities.

Features of Iwokrama include the only state-of-the-art canopy walkway in the Guianas, bird-watching with over 500 species of birds, jungle trekking through one of the nine designated trails, guided nature walks, nocturnal wildlife spotting by vehicle, foot and boat, and the Indian Island sunrise boat ride.

Another feature to come on stream soon will be a butterfly farm where visitors can enjoy a guided tour, viewing at least 10 different species. Visitors will also be able to learn the Amerindian technique of using a bow and arrow. (GINA)

Ministry strengthening anti-truancy programme
The Ministry of Education’s Schools’ Welfare Department has been streamlined to better address truancy and other problems.

In an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Education Minister Shaik Baksh said the re-organisation is part of the education sector reform, and will be effected countrywide.

Areas to be affected by the reform include Crabwood Creek, Region 6 (East Berbice/ Corentyne); Mahaica Region 4, (Demerara/ Mahaica) and Parika and Wales in Region 3 (West Demerara).

The minister disclosed that an additional 30 schools’ welfare officers will be appointed in another three months and they will be trained in the areas of guidance and counselling.

The officers will not be teachers, and will undergo an 18 month training programme conducted by experts within the ministry.

According to Mr. Baksh, a truancy campaign which started last year has been fairly successful.

These are part of the Ministry of Education’s new five year Strategic Plan which, among other things, seeks to attain universal nursery and secondary education by 2012.

The ministry has already achieved universal primary education.

Cane Grove women in empowerment programme
SOME of the women of the Cane Grove community have formed a group aimed at advocating their empowerment.

To this end, they met in a workshop last Thursday at the Irene Madray Recreational, Arts and Resources Centre in Cane Grove, Mahaica.

The women’s group, comprising mainly housewives and single parents, discussed various issues relating to women empowerment and equality.

Founder of the centre, Dianne Madray, who facilitated the workshop, explained that after listening to the mothers of some of the children who use the centre, she recognised the need for such a group in the community.

Madray explained that one of main aims of the group is to bring together women to share ideas, experiences and concerns, and to help them empower each other.

She noted that the women have problems and need to talk to someone and become involved in economic and recreational activities.

Madray emphasised that it is important for women in today’s society to empower themselves through promoting self-esteem, self-confidence and personal growth.

According to Madray, resources, opportunities and exposure for women living in small communities are hardly ever there.

The Irene Madray Centre, which was opened last August, basically provides resources for underprivileged children to learn and gives them tools to develop skills.

The centre is involved in several programmes, including arts and crafts, computers, and lectures on various topics, and now parents are becoming involved.

Madray is the founder of the Alfred and Irene Madray (AIM) International Foundation for Children, a non- profit organisation based in the United States, with a mission to develop programmes throughout Guyana and other Third World countries, with emphasis on learning in a creative way.

I never thought this centre was going to bring about all of this…Cane Grove is going to be a model for other communities,” she said.

IMPROVING THE BREED
NARI introduces sheep embryo transplant
By Tajeram Mohabir
GOVERNMENT, as part of its continuous efforts to improve and expand the livestock sector, introduced last Friday new cutting edge technology, the embryo transplant of the British Texel sheep to the Barbados black belly.

The exercise, part of a $5M project, was executed at the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) livestock farm at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, where 135 embryos were transplanted to 107 Barbados black belly sheep.

According to the project’s technician, James Mylne, the sheep will lamb in 145 days, and will be of pure Texel breed.

However, lambs from some 50 sheep that were artificially inseminated (AI) Thursday at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) will be cross-bred.

Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, in his address at the AI event pointed out that the mutton industry has much potential for growth with an increasing demand both at home and overseas.

He acknowledged the private sector’s support in bolstering several sheep projects nationwide, and implored that they do same to expand this initiative.

The minister said the project will enable an adequate supply of mutton locally, at an affordable price, and represents another step by government to cushion the pressure being experienced as a result of the rise in food prices globally.

Persaud further disclosed that NARI will propose a cooperation agreement with a Scottish Genetic Research Institute to share information and technology transfer to develop capacity and to improve the breed.

He lauded the wife of the British High Commissioner to Guyana, Sarah Wheeler, for the role she played in not only conceptualizing the initiative, but also ensuring its implementation.

He also expressed gratitude to the key players behind the project who worked tirelessly to bring it to fruition and noted that his ministry as well as local farmers firmly support the initiative.

NARI Director Dr Oudho Homenauth said the exercise is a novel venture in the sheep sector, and will see a large scale introduction of the Texel sheep here via biotechnological means using artificial insemination and embryo transplant.

“This is not being done at the experimental scale or for demonstration purposes only. This exercise will hopefully see the introduction of hundreds of pure and crossbred Texel sheep for the first time in Guyana,” he stressed.

The Texel breed sheep produces a lean meat carcass which is passed on to the crossbred progeny.

Dr Homenauth said the project is part of the Ministry of Agriculture diversification initiatives which will intensify under the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Agriculture Diversification Programme.

NARI has traditionally been involved with the Corentyne white, the Virgin Island white and the Barbados black belly sheep. But the NARI Director disclosed that in 2007, the research institute acquired the Dorper breed from the United States which is showing good adaptability.

He also pointed out that NARI introduced the Boer goat last year and its development, in collaboration with the private sector, is proving to be a success story.

It is my belief that the sheep and goat production are facets of the livestock sub-sector that can impact positively on the agricultural sector in Guyana,” Dr. Homenauth posited.

Currently, the Caribbean imports approximately six million kilogrammes of mutton, valued at approximately US$12M annually. I believe that Guyana could become a major player in CARICOM with regards to mutton production in the medium term, and it is precisely for this reason that such needed interventions are being made,” Dr Homenauth said.

NARI, over the years, has concentrated on improving the breeding stock of duck, sheep and goat, as well as on the development of pastures and feeding systems.

Recently, the research arm of the Ministry of Agriculture constructed 10 new pens and rehabilitated its incubation facilities. The Peking, Kunshan and Moscovy ducks were also introduced.

Dr Homenauth stressed that the intention of these developments is to promote commercialization of the duck enterprise.

There are already several such enterprises. Further, duck rearing is proving to be an important source of income for many small farmers countrywide,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the institution also introduced improved levels of cattle and swine recently.

Mrs. Wheeler, in brief remarks, expressed gratitude to minister Persaud for his sterling support in transforming the discussions which started last September into reality.

She explained that the semen and embryos from the Texel sheep were imported from the United Kingdom to Guyana at the expense of the live animal because of concerns relating to its adaptation locally.

Mrs. Wheeler acknowledged the response given to the project so far, and said she looks forward to converting the initiative into a medium to long term venture.

Sacked S.C. Percy Wight wins legal battle against dismissal
SPECIAL Constable Percy Wight who, a judge found, was dismissed for a crime for which he was freed by a Court of competent jurisdiction has been told that the dismissal cannot stand.

Wight was represented by Veteran Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Benjamin Gibson.

He was told about this by Justice Jainarayan Singh who had heard the Bail Court matter that concluded last Wednesday.

On the 4th of January, 1998, he was charged indictably with the offence of dereliction of duty by a Peace Officer under Section 344 of the Criminal Law Offences Act.

The charge was heard summarily by Magistrate Krishna Prasad and the Applicant was acquitted on the 15th of August, 2000, after evidence was taken.

On the 14th of September, 2000, the Commissioner of Police, the second named respondent, dismissed the Applicant from the Constabulary with retroactive to the 15th of December 1998.

As a result, the Applicant filed a Motion in which he sought a declaration that his removal was unconstitutional, null and void, contrary to the disciplinary code and Section 49 of the Police Act.

He sought an Order declaring that the forfeiture of sums due to him is void, an Order quashing his removal from the Constabulary by the Commissioner of Police and finally payment of all sums due owing and payable to him.

In handing down the ruling Wednesday, Justice Jainarain Singh added, “Let me say from the outset that Section 49, sub section 11 of the Police Act, states no person who has been acquitted by a Court of any crime shall be tried on the same charge or suffer any punishment on account thereof under this Act.

“The facts of the charge were that the applicant, while on duty at Sisters’ Police Station, Berbice, a prisoner disappeared from the prison cell. The Applicant claimed the prisoner had escaped, while the prisoner stated that the Applicant had released him.

“On the 30th November, 1998, the Applicant was caused to stand down from the acting full-time service by the Commissioner of Police.

“The Hon. Attorney General contends that the Applicant was dismissed by way of notice dated 14 of September, 2000, one month before the Applicant was acquitted.

“In my view, even if the letter of dismissal preceded the acquittal of the accused by the Hon. Magistrate, the Commissioner of Police would have been in a worse position, for it would mean that he had exercised judgment on the facts before him without giving the Applicant a hearing.

“From my findings, it is clear that the Applicant has been subjected to punishment of a crime for which he has been acquitted by a Court of competent jurisdiction. I therefore have no difficulty in granting the Orders sought by the Applicant”, Justice Jainarayan said.

Don’t put out your garbage today
The Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown are advising citizens that its garbage contractors have withdrawn their services from the City because of financial challenges. The Council is hard-pressed to honour its financial obligations to the contractors.

And so citizens are advised not to put out their receptacles for collection today as they would not be cleared.

However, the sanitary landfill site off Nelson Mandela Avenue is still in operation. Householders, who are desirous of using this facility, should contact telephone number 223-5123 or 233-5126.

GUYWID congratulates Ministers Rodrigues-Birkett, Sukhai
GUYANESE Women in Development (GUYWID), a non-governmental organisation working in the interest of the development of women in Guyana, has joined in congratulating Ministers Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Pauline Campbell Sukhai, on the occasion of their appointments to head the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Amerindian Affairs respectively.

A press release issued by the organisation last Thursday said:

The appointment of Ms. Carolyn Rodrigues as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Ms. Pauline Sukhai as Minister of Amerindian Affairs is indeed heartening and inspiring to all Guyanese. Both women of humble backgrounds add to the many other examples of how far Guyanese women have come, and the recognition they have gained as equal partners in the development process.”

“Just a few decades ago, Guyanese women, led by the indomitable Mrs. Janet Jagan, fought for and won the right to vote, and to be elected. As the first woman to be elected to the Legislature in the 1950s, and to become the first female minister of government, Ms. Jagan paved the way for many others to follow.”

“Today, we are proud to see the number of women ministers of government as well as Members of Parliament. Whether as Chief Whip or Deputy Speaker, whether from the benches on one side or the other, our women articulate their views and opinions with conviction and purpose, determined to make Guyana a better place for its people, and particularly for its children.”

“We, the members of the Guyanese Women in Development (GUYWID), are indeed proud to see another two of our women moving up the ladder, not only in terms of prestige and recognition, but moreso, in terms of their willingness and competence to lead, take actions, and be part of a team that has boldly taken on the task of moving our country forward.”

“Congratulations to Carolyn and Pauline!”